Basilico at The Regent Singapore is named after basil, a humble perennial herb that is featured prominently in Italian cuisine. This two month old Italian restaurant, which took over the now defunct Capers, is helmed by 3 Italians - Executive Chef Claudio Rossi, Restaurant Chef Angelo Ciccone and Pizza Chef Carmine Esposito, who hail from northern and southern Italy.
Located on the second level of this prestigious Four Seasons hotel, Basilico's interior is designed by renowned Japanese architect Yasuhiro Koichi and dazzles with its centrepiece crystal chandelier and circular open space dining concept which houses three open kitchens - antipasto, the hot kitchen and pasticceria (desserts). For those who wish to dine al fresco, there is the option of dining by the pool.
Complimentary Bread - I thought that the focaccia was quite decent, just a tad cold when served, which made it a little dry and hard on the outside. But I did like the slightly chewy texture it carried and of course the interesting repertoire of dips that came alongside, with the most notable one being mascarpone cheese, which can usually be found in tiramisu. The sheets of cheese crackers came across as rather average though.
Cacciucco di Pesce (Fresh Seafood in Lobster and Tomato Stew) - The lobster and tomato stew was rich in flavours yet did not overwhelm, making for a nice savoury soup with a tinge of spice. The servings of scallops, prawns and squid cubes were relatively generous as a whole, which was definitely a step in the right direction.
Focaccia Pita - I couldn't quite catch the name of this dish but it is, beyond a doubt, the shining star of the evening. Made with focaccia and stuffed with black truffle and mascarpone cheese, it looked anything but asthetically pleasing. However, the charmer came in the form of its considerably thin crust that had a nice chewy texture to it. Throw in a nice and light creamily cheesy undertone sans the nausea and you get an excellent pita dish.
Pizza Prosciutto - To be very honest, I thought the pizza was quite good but certainly not to the extent of outstanding. Granted, the crust was thin and baked to a crisp golden brown with the parma ham lightly smokey. But the pizza did seem a little bland overall. There was a harmonious cohesion amongst the ingredients but that failed to ignite any sparks (aka boring).
Risotto alla Pugliese - The risotto didn't quite do it for me as the arborio rice came across as a tad too hard for my liking. If its any consolation, the servings of diced lobster, prawn, scallop and asparagus were generous to say the least. I do wonder about the green foam atop though.
Wagyu Beef - Grilled to medium rare as per my request, the wagyu failed to impress. That's not to say it wasn't any good, just that I'm rather picky when it comes to steak. The beef carried an oily aftertaste that was quite prominent and invoked nausea. The steak sauce that came alongside wasn't really effective in masking the oily taste even though it carried a noticable amount of alcohol. On the upside, this was a quality piece of meat, which was naturally sweet and succulent with a proportionate amount of fats.
Semifreddo al Torroncino - I thought that the almond parfait was quite good with a consistently smooth and creamy texture which had bits of almond in it. The stewed sour cherries below provided a much needed jolt to tingle my jaded senses.
Apple Tart with Marsala Cream - Personally I felt that the apple tart was rather normal as the crust was a bit too dry but lightly buttery. The apple slices were bland and the marsala cream provided the alcoholic content.
Fig Tart - I dislike figs but surprisingly the crust was different from that of the apple tart, coming across as moist and leaning a little towards crumble. Personally I prefered this crust over that of the apple tart.
Raspberry Panna Cotta - One of the more unusual panna cottas I've come across so far, Basilico's rendition tasted more like mousse with an almond jelly aftertaste. Certainly not what I would expect from a good panna cotta.
The meal ended with a glass of groppino, which is essentially a lemon sorbet, champagne, mint and vodka concoction that is supposed to help you digest. I'm not sure it did the trick for me though.
All in all the meal was rather satisfying except for the desserts, which fell rather flat in my humble opinion. I'm not exactly sure how prices are like because the meal was complimentary, courtesy of HGW. I'm sure that in time, with some tweaks here and there, Basilico will be able to hold its own against the likes of other well know Italian restaurants like Senso, Garibaldi, Il Lido etc.
Heard quite a fair bit about Ah Chiang's porridge, which is situated amongst the conservation area of Tiong Bahru and boasts a rich history dating back to 1971. The various media appearances are seemingly testament to its honest to goodness bowls of porridge which are painstakingly cooked over a charcoal stove.
Occupying a corner unit, Ah Chiang's can take about 30 people or so and tables are on a first come first serve basis, very much like any mom and pop coffee shops around. On both occasions that I went, at 1230pm on a Saturday and 1030am on a Sunday, seats were readily available but I understand that long waits are to be expected especially in the morning.
Intestine Porridge with Meatballs & Century Egg Porridge with Chicken - At $5.50, this was a rather expensive bowl of porridge. The focus was undoubtedly on the porridge, which came across as smooth with bits of grains and didn't seem too starchy. The quantity of ingredients were acceptable at best and if it wasn't for the extra meatballs, the intestines alone would have been a sorry sight. Not that the meatballs or intestines tasted fantastic anyways. I could also detect MSG in the porridge, but I guess that's rather common in porridge nowadays. The bowl of century egg porridge cost slightly lesser, at $4.50 for a sprinkling of century egg and chicken slices. As with the previous dish, the porridge itself was the star while the century egg and chicken slices were merely average.
Honestly, I found the porridge quite decent overall, just that prices are a tad too steep.
Just happened to pass by this stall at Bugis Junction which was featured in the Straits Times sometime back about its fries so decided to give it a shot, especially since this is probably the only place in Singapore that sells poutine (to my limited knowledge).
Poutine - $4.90 gets you a medium size serving of thick cut fries with the skin still intact, covered in a sporadic layer of cheese curds and drizzled with beef gravy. I personally felt that the fries were too thickly cut, which resulted in some parts being overly hard while some parts were soft. The gravy wasn't hot enough( it was at room temperature!) to melt the cheese curds, unlike that of New York Fries, which pours hot/warm gravy over the curds to melt them onto the fries for a absolutely delicious experience. I also thought that the salt content was a little too excessive as good fries, in my humble opinion, only require minimal salt.
Its origins dated back to the nineteenth century of Qing Dynasty – affectionately known as Bamboo Noodles, or 竹升面, it is highly regarded for its smooth and tangy texture. The secret to its delectable taste and texture lies in the rigorous production process.
Traditionally hand-made, it is rubbed, kneaded and mixed into dough before being pressed with a long and thick bamboo pole. Using his whole body weight, the master chef will skillfully maneuver the pole back and forth to achieve the springy bite of the noodles.
However, at 大吃の喜, thanks to the ingenious engineering brain of Mr John See and the support from his wife, Amy, one no longer needs to travel all the way to Guangzhou, China (where John first discovered the dish) to sample this appetising noodles – he spent 18 months to invent his very own bamboo noodles production machine! What used to painstakingly take 2 hours to produce this wonderful chow is now reduced to a mere 45 minutes!!! Located in one of the refurbished shophouses along Joo Chiat, at the corner of Koon Send Road, 大吃の喜, or Tai Shek Hei, is a noodle specialist that produces their own palatable noodles with the freshest ingredients.
The verdict: This was probably one of most “Q” or springy noodles HFB has ever tried in his life (The trick is to slurp the noodles, as quickly as Japanese eating ramen, when served, and not wait too long, especially the soup version, as the texture will start to turn soggy).
And unlike the typical noodles one finds in Singapore, there’s none of the lye water taste or “Kee”, in dialect, presented in the noodles. Like how the old Gardenia Bread Ad that goes “It is so good that you can eat it’s on its own”.
Price ranges from $6.50 to $6.80 and comes with choices of Dumplings, Roast Duck, Soy Chicken, Char Siew and even Mushroom and Curry Pork! And that is not to say there’s nothing else good to eat at this restaurant – the appetiser dish of Deep-fried Enoki Mushrooms with Mayonaise (off-menu item) was simple but delightful. It was well fried without the greasy aftertaste and every bite produces an enjoyable crunch.
Another off-menu item of Marinated Chilled Chicken Wings was said to be Amy’s favourite dish in China. Marinated and slightly coloured yellow, it was served chilled for consumption. Slightly salty on it’s own, this would probably go along better with the noodles – however, HFB’s intolerance for cold food means he didn’t appreciate it fully.
The Fried Tobiko Dumpling ($4.00 for 4 pcs) was excellent in its own right. The skin, also home-produced by John’s machine, came with an excellent taste and texture that gave one a perfect crunch. Bountiful with ingredients, the dumplings were full with meat and prawn, and the extra dash of Tobiko, or Flying Fish Roe, freshly imported from Japan gave one an extra dimension to the dish.
However, the same astonishingly couldn’t be said about their soup version ($8.00 for 8pcs). Perhaps soaked in the soup for quite awhile, the skin just wasn’t as enjoyable as the deep-fried ones, and HFB found them a tad salty. Initially HFB thought it was the tobiko, but John confirmed that it was the meat instead that was intentionally marinated saltier to compensate for the clear soup.
The Roast Combination dish of Roast Duck and Char Siew ($10.00 for small serving) was another hit and misses. Everyone knows it is the skin that rates the duck, and 大吃の喜’s version is pretty good. Health conscious eaters would be happy to discover that the duck didn't come with much fat at the bottom of the skin, but yet the thinly strips of skin was so scrumptious and crispy. However, the char siew didn’t exactly wow HFB. He felt the char siew was under-flavoured and could be roasted slightly longer and make do with stronger marinates. Also, the lacked of fats also means it was slightly on the tougher side.
The Chives & Egg Pancake ($3.50 for small serving), shaped like mini curry-puffs, was another healthy option. However, HFB believed that the strong flavour of chives would probably turn many people off from it, although he himself thought the dish was not too bad.
Lunch was rounded off with a dessert of Fungus with Red Dates ($3.00) served chilled. Double-boiled with plenty of ingredients, the pleasant surprise was the inclusion of thinly strips of orange peel that gave a lovely zesty vigor to this otherwise straight forward dessert. On the other hand, HFB thought that the chef was pretty generous with the rock sugar.
You can view the all photos and the production process of the noodles @ His Food Blog.
BonGoût, which means “Good Taste” in French, is surprisingly a Japanese second-hand bookstore and a café located at the cosy and tranquil corner of Robertson Quay since 2000.
First started out in UE Square, one can enjoy their freshly brewed coffee or daily special menu and indulge in Japanese publications like books, magazines and Manga (Japanese comic books) at your own leisure.
This is an absolute haven for all “Otakus” wannabe!!! And fret not if you do not read the Japanese language, for there are tons of Japanese fashion magazines to refer for the latest trend and style.
With rows and rows of publications, along with simplistic décor, what HFB like about this place is the unpretentious character it oozed. Did HFB also mention that Robertson Quay is one of the perfect spot for a peaceful and quiet lunch?
As always, one of the speciality home-styled Japanese cuisines would be their curry rice. As such, HFB ordered a small portion of Beef Curry Rice ($9.00) – and leave to regret it somehow.
Serving wise, it was definitely diminutive – HFB counted a total of 3 bite-sized pieces of beef plus a few tiny bits on his plate along with heaps of Japanese sweet curry and rice. Taste wise it was above average but price wise, HFB thought it was over-the-top for the amount of meat one gets.
If HFB had known, he would be paying an additional dollar for the big portion (but then again, he wonders how many more insignificant pieces of meat he might get for that?).
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Was in the mood for some thin crust pizza so the glutton in me opted for Peperoni Pizzeria, which is owned and operated by fine dining chain Les Amis and boasts a never seen elsewhere in Singapore XXXL family size pizza, measuring 21 inches in diameter. Compare that with the 12-14 inches that is offered by other pizza joints and Peperoni easily takes the cake in terms of size.
Located in the upmarket and reclusive residential enclave of Greenwood Ave, Peperoni Pizzeria sits along a row of tiny shophouses that play host to various renowned F&B establishments such as Punggol Seafood, Lana, Greenwood Fish Market, just to name a few. The air conditioned area exudes a nice warmth through the use of pastel colours and various artworks by professional artists and school children alike. You can even follow the process of your pizza being made and then baked in the oven. There is also a small al fresco area behind which is reminiscent of a mini courtyard, complete with vines. If you need a pass time while waiting for your food or an aspiring artist, just ask for crayons and you can doodle on the paper tablecloths.
XXXL Pizza - If you order the large pizza (12 inches) and above, you can request to split your pizza into 2 totally different flavours, which allows for more variety. We had the Hawaii (tomato sauce, mozzarella, pineapple, cooked ham, bell peppers) and the Suprema (tomato sauce, mozzarella, shitake mushroom, chicken, sausage, onions and red chilli). The pizza crust was relatively thin but a tad too burnt along the edges. The base did seem a little too soggy from all the sauces as well. Ingredients didn't come across as plentiful but adequate nevertheless. Personally I thought that the Hawaii portion tasted better as it came across as more flavourful then that of the Suprema.
Creme Brulee - Ending our high carbohydrate meal on a sweet note was the creme brulee, which was quite good but certainly not the best I've had. Made from real vanilla beans, the pudding wasn't too sweet but the overly soft texture didn't exactly sit well with me. The sugar layer was thin and broke easily under pressure. Peperoni's rendition is comparable to the one at FRE(N)SH, just 1.5 times the size and double the price.
A lunch of gigantic proportions set the 2 of us back by about $55, which is still reasonable considering that the amount of food could have fed at least 3 people. In case you are wondering, no, we didn't finish the food. I surrendered at the halfway mark while my gf ate a quarter of it. The remaining quarter was doggy bagged. Service was slow and spotty and it was quite difficult to catch the wait staff's attention at times. They weren't rude or anything, probably just inattentive or not around.
Parkway Thai Restaurant's latest introduction to the culinary scene is one that fuses Thai and Spanish cuisine together - Limon, which started operations about a month ago in early August. I believe Limon is a portmanteau of the words lime and lemon, which was also used to market Sprite (the soft drink) a couple of decades ago.
Occupying the former premises of the restaurant turned food centre stall Cilantro along Purvis Street, Limon plays neighbour to more illustrious eateries like Garibaldi, Yhingthai Palace and Gunther's. The first floor of Limon spans out into the wine bar while the restaurant and private dining room sits on the second and third floor respectively. The restaurant's interior is somewhat muted but boasts a cosy sitting arrangement (about 20pax or so) complete with wooden flooring and large olden style post war architecture windows. Personally I liked the private room, which comes with a glass partition that overlooks part of the second floor and also the windows.
Limon's Special Nut Mix & Complimentary Bread - Honestly I thought that the mixture of peanuts, cashew nuts, pecan nuts and walnuts were rather interesting with lemongrass and chilli thrown into the concoction. It provided a nice twist to the usual boring nuts you get.
On the other hand, I found the complimentary bread way too hard and dry for my liking. And the accompanying dips and margarine didn't help, save for the tangy tomato dip.
Cream of Pumpkin & Tom Kha Guy - The cream of pumpkin wasn't your usual excessively sweet and coagulated version, coming across as mildly sweet without forcing the pumpkin taste down your throat.
Personally I prefered the Tom Kha Guy or the coconut base chicken soup, which excited the palates more with its variety of flavours. Mildly sweet yet sourish and creamy with bits of cut chilli padi to give it a light spice. Very much like robust tom yam soup without the spiciness. I appreciated the adequate slices of chicken and mushrooms as well.
Paella with Seafood, Spanish Sausage & Broad Beans - Paella is a Spanish rice dish which involves cooking spanish rice in a specialised pan called paella or paellera, which is round and shallow with splayed sides. I thought that this dish was quite good as the spanish rice was plump and short, absorbing in the sublime garlicky flavours yet didn't come across as too creamy or sticky like risotto. The spattering of fresh seafood definitely helped in enhancing the dish, making it the undisputed star of the day.
Lobster and King Prawns Phad Thai - I was envisioning a baby lobster flanked by 2 king prawns served on a bed of phad thai but woke up to the sad reality when this dish was served. I made out 2 small cubes of lobster playing second fiddle to a lone upright prawn, whose size didn't exactly befit that of a king. Small portions aside, the prawn and the lobster cubes were overly salty but the glass noodles were springy with a hint of tomato sauce and fell into the dry category, which I personally prefer. Could have done with more grounded nuts though.
Caramel Flan - This heart shape dessert came served with a piece of hard sugar, also carved out into a heart. The pudding reminded me of a more robust and rougher version of creme brulee. The egg taste did come across as a little overwhelming and there was a tinge of lemongrass in the sidelines. Interestingly, the sugar heart tasted like 麦芽糖 or Maltose, which brought back childhood memories.
Tom Banana with Pandanus Leaf and Coconut Sauce - Honestly this was the only dish that I didn't quite take to, mainly because of its soft and rather fibrous texture. The banana was boiled till it became limp but not too mashed up and it reminded me of boiled sweet potato. Sorry but this dessert just didn't do it for me.
All thanks to a 1 for 1 set lunch promotion that Limon is currently offering, the 2 of us chalked up only about $41 for a satisfying and rather enjoyable lunch. Service was decent and personally I thought that the iced water they served was rather interesting with the addition of rosemary. To conclude, I honestly don't see much of a fusion in Limon's dishes and those small pockets of fusion would probably be classified under conservative. However, having said that, I do think that Limon's dishes are of a certain quality and for $20/head (after 1 for 1 discount), its definitely a steal. Please note that the set lunch promotion is ongoing for an undefinite period of time and runs from Monday to Saturday.
Was planning to have dinner at Amirah's neighbor stall, but was told it was already fully booked for that night. In order not to stay hungry for too long, we decided to give Amirah a try. The place was already packed with customers when we arrived as it was time to break fast.
We quickly ordered our food and thought the food would be served quickly. Well, our drinks did come almost immediately after our orders. But the rest took too long to come.
We ordered Hummus and Moutabel which are served with baskets of pita bread. The dishes were served cold but it took so long! The taste isn't as good as those I'd tasted few nights before at its neighbor's stall. But still not bad. The Moutabel lacked the texture that I wanted, perhaps their onion/garlic was over chopped. The pita bread served was not very good too. Some was either too tough or too soft.
Also ordered the mixed grill main course as seen in the photo. The meat were all rather tough to chew, was rather blunt and lacks in flavor. This only passable imo.
Overall the food is still considered as acceptable. Will probably not return for a next round due to the long waiting time and not so flavorful dishes.
(This review might seem a little unfair as I had a better experience few days before this nearby. Go give it a try and judge it yourself.) :)
Kopitiam literally translates into 咖啡店 or coffeeshop which is synonymous (to a certain extent) with affordable local food. However, this offering by Swissotel Singapore promises the best of local favourites at a premium price in an air conditioned environment coupled with good service.
Hidden in a corner on the second level of Fairmont, Kopitiam plays neighbour to Cafe Swiss. Decor is kept simple and uncluttered with green wooden top tables and mugs that are reminiscent of kopitiams in the old days. There's even a few push cart type stall fronts where chefs will prepare local favourites like popiah to mimic the days of old.
Popiah - This has got to be the most expensive popiah that I've eaten in Singapore, standing at $7 a roll. Brimming with ingredients, shreds of slipper lobster inclusive, the popiah looked like it could burst anytime with its thin but hardly chewy and tasteless skin. Honestly, as a whole, the popiah was tasteless. Only the taste of chilli prevailed.
Tahu Telur - Honestly, tahu telur to me is mainly comfort food and Kopitiam's rendition reminded me of those you can get at food courts islandwide - average and not the least bit outstanding. The tofu was rather chunky and I found this dish a little too sweet for my liking. The only thing I thought was quite good was the egg, which was deep fried to a crisp.
Bak Kut Teh - I've always been a fan of bak kut teh, especially the Teochew variant, which this offering didn't fall under. $15.50 got me 5 medium sized ribs, a bowl of dough fritters and rice. The ribs were actually quite good, meaty and coming across as tender with a mild bite. The soup was a tad too sweet for my liking but definitely not as sweet as the one I had at Empire Cafe, probably due to the noticable absence of wolfberries. Did I mention that the dough fritters were crackling but didn't taste fresh?
Hainanese Chicken Rice - One of the most iconic dishes of Singapore and purportedly a signature of this place, the humble Hainanese chicken rice looked disproportionately small for $17. I'm pretty sure you can get the same quantity of chicken at a hawker centre for about $3-$4. That aside, the chicken was succulent and tender without being too fatty or salty. The rice was not too oily and fragrant but a tad undercooked. Definitely not as tasty as I had expected it to be. But then again, I guess you sacrifice taste when you cut down on the oil.
Without discount, the bill came up to a shocking $61.20, which is preposterous in my humble opinion. Street food, even in "high class" restaurants, really shouldn't cost an arm or a leg. Kopi Tiam Singapore Restaurant may be effective in showcasing Singapore's culturally diverse local food to tourists but it certainly doesn't strike a chord with me, not with the prices.
Ladyironchef's namecard v1.0 was all given out, so it was to be a new look for the card. But as all the namecard was finished before i got the time to ask my friend to design a new card, so there's kind of rush to print the cards, so we just made some minor changes to the font, remove some pompous parts and the overall new look's, much simple and sleeker.
I did my first namecards with Tommy Print @ Funan, and i believe many people are familiar with them because they provide name cards at just $24 for 2 box. Needless to say as i was quite please with my first cards with them, i went back to them again for my second set.
A couple of months ago when i last went to Tommy Print at funan, there's only one branch, but they have since expanded to 2 new additionals at Square 2, and Anchorpoint. And since I'm a lazy person to go all the way to Funan, and Anchorpoint is much nearer to my place, it looked like a viable option for my future place to print my cards.
The location at Anchorpoint's much bigger than their original Funan one, for one its a proper shopfront here rather than the "kiosk" at Funan. There's one lady tending to the shop since there isn't much traffic enquiries everyday, the shop looked rather empty though, i wondered whether they really need the whole shop for their business, the one at Funan now look more than suffice. But nevertheless, a better shop means better reputation and looks better when you need to entertain yr customers.
Like what i did the last time, i saved my namecard format into thumbdrive and bring it there. But this time the lady wasn't like what her counterparts at Funan was. The last time they were very attentive to details, and went right down to guiding me to choosing the different things required for my namecard like the exact colour, font, and confirmation on a few other things, but this time there wasn't any such thing.
The lady just asked me to fill up my particulars, i paid up, and poof! It's done. No doubt it's fast, but i was quite sceptical since she didn't ask me anything about my namecard. I told her i done one before with Tommy Print and she asked for a sample of my old name card and said that she will do according.
After about 3-4 working days, i went back to collect my namecard, and to my horror, another staff showed me my "new" cards, they were my old version of the card. The staff on duty that day wasn't very sure what exactly happened. But she promptly called her boss or whoever to check, and when she checked the computer she saw the copy of my format saved, and it was indeed my new version saved there, which was different to what was print.
Anyway to cut the long story short, the staff was nice enough to apologise for the mistake made, and did the necessary "customer-service" by saying they will re-print my cards, the new one, and of course there's no additional charges. I accepted, and waited for another week before going back to collect the cards.
In conclusion, the incident could have been quite unpleasant when they print the wrong cards, but they did the necessary things to make sure that i got my new cards, and even though i had to wait an additional week for my name card, i was glad to get my new cards. Luckily i didn't need my new cards in a rush, if not the consequence will be a lot different. Anyway, i got two box of my old cards, and another two box of my new cards now!
1=SGD 0.0587
Basilico at The Regent Singapore is named after basil, a humble perennial herb that is featured prominently in Italian cuisine. This two month old Italian restaurant, which took over the now defunct Capers, is helmed by 3 Italians - Executive Chef Claudio Rossi, Restaurant Chef Angelo Ciccone and Pizza Chef Carmine Esposito, who hail from northern and southern Italy.
Located on the second level of this prestigious Four Seasons hotel, Basilico's interior is designed by renowned Japanese architect Yasuhiro Koichi and dazzles with its centrepiece crystal chandelier and circular open space dining concept which houses three open kitchens - antipasto, the hot kitchen and pasticceria (desserts). For those who wish to dine al fresco, there is the option of dining by the pool.
Complimentary Bread - I thought that the focaccia was quite decent, just a tad cold when served, which made it a little dry and hard on the outside. But I did like the slightly chewy texture it carried and of course the interesting repertoire of dips that came alongside, with the most notable one being mascarpone cheese, which can usually be found in tiramisu. The sheets of cheese crackers came across as rather average though.
Cacciucco di Pesce (Fresh Seafood in Lobster and Tomato Stew) - The lobster and tomato stew was rich in flavours yet did not overwhelm, making for a nice savoury soup with a tinge of spice. The servings of scallops, prawns and squid cubes were relatively generous as a whole, which was definitely a step in the right direction.
Focaccia Pita - I couldn't quite catch the name of this dish but it is, beyond a doubt, the shining star of the evening. Made with focaccia and stuffed with black truffle and mascarpone cheese, it looked anything but asthetically pleasing. However, the charmer came in the form of its considerably thin crust that had a nice chewy texture to it. Throw in a nice and light creamily cheesy undertone sans the nausea and you get an excellent pita dish.
Pizza Prosciutto - To be very honest, I thought the pizza was quite good but certainly not to the extent of outstanding. Granted, the crust was thin and baked to a crisp golden brown with the parma ham lightly smokey. But the pizza did seem a little bland overall. There was a harmonious cohesion amongst the ingredients but that failed to ignite any sparks (aka boring).
Risotto alla Pugliese - The risotto didn't quite do it for me as the arborio rice came across as a tad too hard for my liking. If its any consolation, the servings of diced lobster, prawn, scallop and asparagus were generous to say the least. I do wonder about the green foam atop though.
Wagyu Beef - Grilled to medium rare as per my request, the wagyu failed to impress. That's not to say it wasn't any good, just that I'm rather picky when it comes to steak. The beef carried an oily aftertaste that was quite prominent and invoked nausea. The steak sauce that came alongside wasn't really effective in masking the oily taste even though it carried a noticable amount of alcohol. On the upside, this was a quality piece of meat, which was naturally sweet and succulent with a proportionate amount of fats.
Semifreddo al Torroncino - I thought that the almond parfait was quite good with a consistently smooth and creamy texture which had bits of almond in it. The stewed sour cherries below provided a much needed jolt to tingle my jaded senses.
Apple Tart with Marsala Cream - Personally I felt that the apple tart was rather normal as the crust was a bit too dry but lightly buttery. The apple slices were bland and the marsala cream provided the alcoholic content.
Fig Tart - I dislike figs but surprisingly the crust was different from that of the apple tart, coming across as moist and leaning a little towards crumble. Personally I prefered this crust over that of the apple tart.
Raspberry Panna Cotta - One of the more unusual panna cottas I've come across so far, Basilico's rendition tasted more like mousse with an almond jelly aftertaste. Certainly not what I would expect from a good panna cotta.
The meal ended with a glass of groppino, which is essentially a lemon sorbet, champagne, mint and vodka concoction that is supposed to help you digest. I'm not sure it did the trick for me though.
All in all the meal was rather satisfying except for the desserts, which fell rather flat in my humble opinion. I'm not exactly sure how prices are like because the meal was complimentary, courtesy of HGW. I'm sure that in time, with some tweaks here and there, Basilico will be able to hold its own against the likes of other well know Italian restaurants like Senso, Garibaldi, Il Lido etc.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Heard quite a fair bit about Ah Chiang's porridge, which is situated amongst the conservation area of Tiong Bahru and boasts a rich history dating back to 1971. The various media appearances are seemingly testament to its honest to goodness bowls of porridge which are painstakingly cooked over a charcoal stove.
Occupying a corner unit, Ah Chiang's can take about 30 people or so and tables are on a first come first serve basis, very much like any mom and pop coffee shops around. On both occasions that I went, at 1230pm on a Saturday and 1030am on a Sunday, seats were readily available but I understand that long waits are to be expected especially in the morning.
Intestine Porridge with Meatballs & Century Egg Porridge with Chicken - At $5.50, this was a rather expensive bowl of porridge. The focus was undoubtedly on the porridge, which came across as smooth with bits of grains and didn't seem too starchy. The quantity of ingredients were acceptable at best and if it wasn't for the extra meatballs, the intestines alone would have been a sorry sight. Not that the meatballs or intestines tasted fantastic anyways. I could also detect MSG in the porridge, but I guess that's rather common in porridge nowadays.
The bowl of century egg porridge cost slightly lesser, at $4.50 for a sprinkling of century egg and chicken slices. As with the previous dish, the porridge itself was the star while the century egg and chicken slices were merely average.
Honestly, I found the porridge quite decent overall, just that prices are a tad too steep.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Just happened to pass by this stall at Bugis Junction which was featured in the Straits Times sometime back about its fries so decided to give it a shot, especially since this is probably the only place in Singapore that sells poutine (to my limited knowledge).
Poutine - $4.90 gets you a medium size serving of thick cut fries with the skin still intact, covered in a sporadic layer of cheese curds and drizzled with beef gravy. I personally felt that the fries were too thickly cut, which resulted in some parts being overly hard while some parts were soft. The gravy wasn't hot enough( it was at room temperature!) to melt the cheese curds, unlike that of New York Fries, which pours hot/warm gravy over the curds to melt them onto the fries for a absolutely delicious experience. I also thought that the salt content was a little too excessive as good fries, in my humble opinion, only require minimal salt.
See all my pictures here.
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Its origins dated back to the nineteenth century of Qing Dynasty – affectionately known as Bamboo Noodles, or 竹升面, it is highly regarded for its smooth and tangy texture. The secret to its delectable taste and texture lies in the rigorous production process.
Traditionally hand-made, it is rubbed, kneaded and mixed into dough before being pressed with a long and thick bamboo pole. Using his whole body weight, the master chef will skillfully maneuver the pole back and forth to achieve the springy bite of the noodles.
However, at 大吃の喜, thanks to the ingenious engineering brain of Mr John See and the support from his wife, Amy, one no longer needs to travel all the way to Guangzhou, China (where John first discovered the dish) to sample this appetising noodles – he spent 18 months to invent his very own bamboo noodles production machine! What used to painstakingly take 2 hours to produce this wonderful chow is now reduced to a mere 45 minutes!!! Located in one of the refurbished shophouses along Joo Chiat, at the corner of Koon Send Road, 大吃の喜, or Tai Shek Hei, is a noodle specialist that produces their own palatable noodles with the freshest ingredients.
The verdict: This was probably one of most “Q” or springy noodles HFB has ever tried in his life (The trick is to slurp the noodles, as quickly as Japanese eating ramen, when served, and not wait too long, especially the soup version, as the texture will start to turn soggy).
And unlike the typical noodles one finds in Singapore, there’s none of the lye water taste or “Kee”, in dialect, presented in the noodles. Like how the old Gardenia Bread Ad that goes “It is so good that you can eat it’s on its own”.
Price ranges from $6.50 to $6.80 and comes with choices of Dumplings, Roast Duck, Soy Chicken, Char Siew and even Mushroom and Curry Pork! And that is not to say there’s nothing else good to eat at this restaurant – the appetiser dish of Deep-fried Enoki Mushrooms with Mayonaise (off-menu item) was simple but delightful. It was well fried without the greasy aftertaste and every bite produces an enjoyable crunch.
Another off-menu item of Marinated Chilled Chicken Wings was said to be Amy’s favourite dish in China. Marinated and slightly coloured yellow, it was served chilled for consumption. Slightly salty on it’s own, this would probably go along better with the noodles – however, HFB’s intolerance for cold food means he didn’t appreciate it fully.
The Fried Tobiko Dumpling ($4.00 for 4 pcs) was excellent in its own right. The skin, also home-produced by John’s machine, came with an excellent taste and texture that gave one a perfect crunch. Bountiful with ingredients, the dumplings were full with meat and prawn, and the extra dash of Tobiko, or Flying Fish Roe, freshly imported from Japan gave one an extra dimension to the dish.
However, the same astonishingly couldn’t be said about their soup version ($8.00 for 8pcs). Perhaps soaked in the soup for quite awhile, the skin just wasn’t as enjoyable as the deep-fried ones, and HFB found them a tad salty. Initially HFB thought it was the tobiko, but John confirmed that it was the meat instead that was intentionally marinated saltier to compensate for the clear soup.
The Roast Combination dish of Roast Duck and Char Siew ($10.00 for small serving) was another hit and misses. Everyone knows it is the skin that rates the duck, and 大吃の喜’s version is pretty good. Health conscious eaters would be happy to discover that the duck didn't come with much fat at the bottom of the skin, but yet the thinly strips of skin was so scrumptious and crispy. However, the char siew didn’t exactly wow HFB. He felt the char siew was under-flavoured and could be roasted slightly longer and make do with stronger marinates. Also, the lacked of fats also means it was slightly on the tougher side.
The Chives & Egg Pancake ($3.50 for small serving), shaped like mini curry-puffs, was another healthy option. However, HFB believed that the strong flavour of chives would probably turn many people off from it, although he himself thought the dish was not too bad.
Lunch was rounded off with a dessert of Fungus with Red Dates ($3.00) served chilled. Double-boiled with plenty of ingredients, the pleasant surprise was the inclusion of thinly strips of orange peel that gave a lovely zesty vigor to this otherwise straight forward dessert. On the other hand, HFB thought that the chef was pretty generous with the rock sugar.
You can view the all photos and the production process of the noodles @ His Food Blog.
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BonGoût, which means “Good Taste” in French, is surprisingly a Japanese second-hand bookstore and a café located at the cosy and tranquil corner of Robertson Quay since 2000.
First started out in UE Square, one can enjoy their freshly brewed coffee or daily special menu and indulge in Japanese publications like books, magazines and Manga (Japanese comic books) at your own leisure.
This is an absolute haven for all “Otakus” wannabe!!! And fret not if you do not read the Japanese language, for there are tons of Japanese fashion magazines to refer for the latest trend and style.
With rows and rows of publications, along with simplistic décor, what HFB like about this place is the unpretentious character it oozed. Did HFB also mention that Robertson Quay is one of the perfect spot for a peaceful and quiet lunch?
As always, one of the speciality home-styled Japanese cuisines would be their curry rice. As such, HFB ordered a small portion of Beef Curry Rice ($9.00) – and leave to regret it somehow.
Serving wise, it was definitely diminutive – HFB counted a total of 3 bite-sized pieces of beef plus a few tiny bits on his plate along with heaps of Japanese sweet curry and rice. Taste wise it was above average but price wise, HFB thought it was over-the-top for the amount of meat one gets.
If HFB had known, he would be paying an additional dollar for the big portion (but then again, he wonders how many more insignificant pieces of meat he might get for that?).
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
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Was in the mood for some thin crust pizza so the glutton in me opted for Peperoni Pizzeria, which is owned and operated by fine dining chain Les Amis and boasts a never seen elsewhere in Singapore XXXL family size pizza, measuring 21 inches in diameter. Compare that with the 12-14 inches that is offered by other pizza joints and Peperoni easily takes the cake in terms of size.
Located in the upmarket and reclusive residential enclave of Greenwood Ave, Peperoni Pizzeria sits along a row of tiny shophouses that play host to various renowned F&B establishments such as Punggol Seafood, Lana, Greenwood Fish Market, just to name a few. The air conditioned area exudes a nice warmth through the use of pastel colours and various artworks by professional artists and school children alike. You can even follow the process of your pizza being made and then baked in the oven. There is also a small al fresco area behind which is reminiscent of a mini courtyard, complete with vines. If you need a pass time while waiting for your food or an aspiring artist, just ask for crayons and you can doodle on the paper tablecloths.
XXXL Pizza - If you order the large pizza (12 inches) and above, you can request to split your pizza into 2 totally different flavours, which allows for more variety. We had the Hawaii (tomato sauce, mozzarella, pineapple, cooked ham, bell peppers) and the Suprema (tomato sauce, mozzarella, shitake mushroom, chicken, sausage, onions and red chilli). The pizza crust was relatively thin but a tad too burnt along the edges. The base did seem a little too soggy from all the sauces as well. Ingredients didn't come across as plentiful but adequate nevertheless. Personally I thought that the Hawaii portion tasted better as it came across as more flavourful then that of the Suprema.
Creme Brulee - Ending our high carbohydrate meal on a sweet note was the creme brulee, which was quite good but certainly not the best I've had. Made from real vanilla beans, the pudding wasn't too sweet but the overly soft texture didn't exactly sit well with me. The sugar layer was thin and broke easily under pressure. Peperoni's rendition is comparable to the one at FRE(N)SH, just 1.5 times the size and double the price.
A lunch of gigantic proportions set the 2 of us back by about $55, which is still reasonable considering that the amount of food could have fed at least 3 people. In case you are wondering, no, we didn't finish the food. I surrendered at the halfway mark while my gf ate a quarter of it. The remaining quarter was doggy bagged. Service was slow and spotty and it was quite difficult to catch the wait staff's attention at times. They weren't rude or anything, probably just inattentive or not around.
See all my pictures here.
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Parkway Thai Restaurant's latest introduction to the culinary scene is one that fuses Thai and Spanish cuisine together - Limon, which started operations about a month ago in early August. I believe Limon is a portmanteau of the words lime and lemon, which was also used to market Sprite (the soft drink) a couple of decades ago.
Occupying the former premises of the restaurant turned food centre stall Cilantro along Purvis Street, Limon plays neighbour to more illustrious eateries like Garibaldi, Yhingthai Palace and Gunther's. The first floor of Limon spans out into the wine bar while the restaurant and private dining room sits on the second and third floor respectively. The restaurant's interior is somewhat muted but boasts a cosy sitting arrangement (about 20pax or so) complete with wooden flooring and large olden style post war architecture windows. Personally I liked the private room, which comes with a glass partition that overlooks part of the second floor and also the windows.
Limon's Special Nut Mix & Complimentary Bread - Honestly I thought that the mixture of peanuts, cashew nuts, pecan nuts and walnuts were rather interesting with lemongrass and chilli thrown into the concoction. It provided a nice twist to the usual boring nuts you get.
On the other hand, I found the complimentary bread way too hard and dry for my liking. And the accompanying dips and margarine didn't help, save for the tangy tomato dip.
Cream of Pumpkin & Tom Kha Guy - The cream of pumpkin wasn't your usual excessively sweet and coagulated version, coming across as mildly sweet without forcing the pumpkin taste down your throat.
Personally I prefered the Tom Kha Guy or the coconut base chicken soup, which excited the palates more with its variety of flavours. Mildly sweet yet sourish and creamy with bits of cut chilli padi to give it a light spice. Very much like robust tom yam soup without the spiciness. I appreciated the adequate slices of chicken and mushrooms as well.
Paella with Seafood, Spanish Sausage & Broad Beans - Paella is a Spanish rice dish which involves cooking spanish rice in a specialised pan called paella or paellera, which is round and shallow with splayed sides. I thought that this dish was quite good as the spanish rice was plump and short, absorbing in the sublime garlicky flavours yet didn't come across as too creamy or sticky like risotto. The spattering of fresh seafood definitely helped in enhancing the dish, making it the undisputed star of the day.
Lobster and King Prawns Phad Thai - I was envisioning a baby lobster flanked by 2 king prawns served on a bed of phad thai but woke up to the sad reality when this dish was served. I made out 2 small cubes of lobster playing second fiddle to a lone upright prawn, whose size didn't exactly befit that of a king. Small portions aside, the prawn and the lobster cubes were overly salty but the glass noodles were springy with a hint of tomato sauce and fell into the dry category, which I personally prefer. Could have done with more grounded nuts though.
Caramel Flan - This heart shape dessert came served with a piece of hard sugar, also carved out into a heart. The pudding reminded me of a more robust and rougher version of creme brulee. The egg taste did come across as a little overwhelming and there was a tinge of lemongrass in the sidelines. Interestingly, the sugar heart tasted like 麦芽糖 or Maltose, which brought back childhood memories.
Tom Banana with Pandanus Leaf and Coconut Sauce - Honestly this was the only dish that I didn't quite take to, mainly because of its soft and rather fibrous texture. The banana was boiled till it became limp but not too mashed up and it reminded me of boiled sweet potato. Sorry but this dessert just didn't do it for me.
All thanks to a 1 for 1 set lunch promotion that Limon is currently offering, the 2 of us chalked up only about $41 for a satisfying and rather enjoyable lunch. Service was decent and personally I thought that the iced water they served was rather interesting with the addition of rosemary. To conclude, I honestly don't see much of a fusion in Limon's dishes and those small pockets of fusion would probably be classified under conservative. However, having said that, I do think that Limon's dishes are of a certain quality and for $20/head (after 1 for 1 discount), its definitely a steal. Please note that the set lunch promotion is ongoing for an undefinite period of time and runs from Monday to Saturday.
See all my pictures here.
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Was planning to have dinner at Amirah's neighbor stall, but was told it was already fully booked for that night. In order not to stay hungry for too long, we decided to give Amirah a try. The place was already packed with customers when we arrived as it was time to break fast.
We quickly ordered our food and thought the food would be served quickly. Well, our drinks did come almost immediately after our orders. But the rest took too long to come.
We ordered Hummus and Moutabel which are served with baskets of pita bread. The dishes were served cold but it took so long! The taste isn't as good as those I'd tasted few nights before at its neighbor's stall. But still not bad. The Moutabel lacked the texture that I wanted, perhaps their onion/garlic was over chopped. The pita bread served was not very good too. Some was either too tough or too soft.
Also ordered the mixed grill main course as seen in the photo. The meat were all rather tough to chew, was rather blunt and lacks in flavor. This only passable imo.
Overall the food is still considered as acceptable. Will probably not return for a next round due to the long waiting time and not so flavorful dishes.
(This review might seem a little unfair as I had a better experience few days before this nearby. Go give it a try and judge it yourself.) :)
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Kopitiam literally translates into 咖啡店 or coffeeshop which is synonymous (to a certain extent) with affordable local food. However, this offering by Swissotel Singapore promises the best of local favourites at a premium price in an air conditioned environment coupled with good service.
Hidden in a corner on the second level of Fairmont, Kopitiam plays neighbour to Cafe Swiss. Decor is kept simple and uncluttered with green wooden top tables and mugs that are reminiscent of kopitiams in the old days. There's even a few push cart type stall fronts where chefs will prepare local favourites like popiah to mimic the days of old.
Popiah - This has got to be the most expensive popiah that I've eaten in Singapore, standing at $7 a roll. Brimming with ingredients, shreds of slipper lobster inclusive, the popiah looked like it could burst anytime with its thin but hardly chewy and tasteless skin. Honestly, as a whole, the popiah was tasteless. Only the taste of chilli prevailed.
Tahu Telur - Honestly, tahu telur to me is mainly comfort food and Kopitiam's rendition reminded me of those you can get at food courts islandwide - average and not the least bit outstanding. The tofu was rather chunky and I found this dish a little too sweet for my liking. The only thing I thought was quite good was the egg, which was deep fried to a crisp.
Bak Kut Teh - I've always been a fan of bak kut teh, especially the Teochew variant, which this offering didn't fall under. $15.50 got me 5 medium sized ribs, a bowl of dough fritters and rice. The ribs were actually quite good, meaty and coming across as tender with a mild bite. The soup was a tad too sweet for my liking but definitely not as sweet as the one I had at Empire Cafe, probably due to the noticable absence of wolfberries. Did I mention that the dough fritters were crackling but didn't taste fresh?
Hainanese Chicken Rice - One of the most iconic dishes of Singapore and purportedly a signature of this place, the humble Hainanese chicken rice looked disproportionately small for $17. I'm pretty sure you can get the same quantity of chicken at a hawker centre for about $3-$4. That aside, the chicken was succulent and tender without being too fatty or salty. The rice was not too oily and fragrant but a tad undercooked. Definitely not as tasty as I had expected it to be. But then again, I guess you sacrifice taste when you cut down on the oil.
Without discount, the bill came up to a shocking $61.20, which is preposterous in my humble opinion. Street food, even in "high class" restaurants, really shouldn't cost an arm or a leg. Kopi Tiam Singapore Restaurant may be effective in showcasing Singapore's culturally diverse local food to tourists but it certainly doesn't strike a chord with me, not with the prices.
See all my pictures here.
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Ladyironchef's namecard v1.0 was all given out, so it was to be a new look for the card. But as all the namecard was finished before i got the time to ask my friend to design a new card, so there's kind of rush to print the cards, so we just made some minor changes to the font, remove some pompous parts and the overall new look's, much simple and sleeker.
I did my first namecards with Tommy Print @ Funan, and i believe many people are familiar with them because they provide name cards at just $24 for 2 box. Needless to say as i was quite please with my first cards with them, i went back to them again for my second set.
A couple of months ago when i last went to Tommy Print at funan, there's only one branch, but they have since expanded to 2 new additionals at Square 2, and Anchorpoint. And since I'm a lazy person to go all the way to Funan, and Anchorpoint is much nearer to my place, it looked like a viable option for my future place to print my cards.
The location at Anchorpoint's much bigger than their original Funan one, for one its a proper shopfront here rather than the "kiosk" at Funan. There's one lady tending to the shop since there isn't much traffic enquiries everyday, the shop looked rather empty though, i wondered whether they really need the whole shop for their business, the one at Funan now look more than suffice. But nevertheless, a better shop means better reputation and looks better when you need to entertain yr customers.
Like what i did the last time, i saved my namecard format into thumbdrive and bring it there. But this time the lady wasn't like what her counterparts at Funan was. The last time they were very attentive to details, and went right down to guiding me to choosing the different things required for my namecard like the exact colour, font, and confirmation on a few other things, but this time there wasn't any such thing.
The lady just asked me to fill up my particulars, i paid up, and poof! It's done. No doubt it's fast, but i was quite sceptical since she didn't ask me anything about my namecard. I told her i done one before with Tommy Print and she asked for a sample of my old name card and said that she will do according.
After about 3-4 working days, i went back to collect my namecard, and to my horror, another staff showed me my "new" cards, they were my old version of the card. The staff on duty that day wasn't very sure what exactly happened. But she promptly called her boss or whoever to check, and when she checked the computer she saw the copy of my format saved, and it was indeed my new version saved there, which was different to what was print.
Anyway to cut the long story short, the staff was nice enough to apologise for the mistake made, and did the necessary "customer-service" by saying they will re-print my cards, the new one, and of course there's no additional charges. I accepted, and waited for another week before going back to collect the cards.
In conclusion, the incident could have been quite unpleasant when they print the wrong cards, but they did the necessary things to make sure that i got my new cards, and even though i had to wait an additional week for my name card, i was glad to get my new cards. Luckily i didn't need my new cards in a rush, if not the consequence will be a lot different. Anyway, i got two box of my old cards, and another two box of my new cards now!
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